When a player has a Stanley Cup–winning goal and Conn Smythe performance from separate springs on his resumé, it’s easy to overlook the possibility he might have another gear to hit. But anybody who thought Patrick Kane was content with the cluster of hardware already in his closest is getting a rude awakening.
Kane turned 25 on Nov. 19, right in the midst of a scorching streak that has seen him register at least a point in 19 of 20 games for a total of 31 points, including eight in his past three outings. Prior to last season, questions about Kane tended to focus on some of his off-ice behaviour. Now, the only Kane query is: How good can this guy be?
Kane presently sits second in league scoring with 42 points, one behind Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby. With 34 contests in the books, Kane’s points-per-game sits at 1.24, the highest mark of his career. The second-best mark came last year, when Kane registered 1.17 points-per-game in the truncated lockout season, which means the last calendar year has given rise to the best hockey of the right winger’s seven years in the NHL.
Kane was already a star when he entrenched his all-time reputation by slipping the puck past Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michael Leighton in overtime of game six in the 2010 Cup final. That goal provided Chicago with its first championship since 1961 and immediately labelled Kane one of the most clutch players around. While the three years between his big snipe and being named playoff MVP during the Hawks’ Cup run last spring were by no means lean, Kane wasn’t quite performing at the level many expected him to hit.
Now, with an Art Ross Trophy a legit possibility, we’re seeing Kane at his shiftiest best. The biggest development in the past 12 months has been Kane’s emergence as a goal-scoring threat. Through his first five seasons, the most the Buffalo native ever lit the lamp was 30 times in 2009–10. Last year, his 23 goals in 47 games translated to a 40-goal campaign over a full 82-game season and with 17 markers already this year, Kane is actually on a slightly better clip, pushing toward a 41-goal showing.
While Kane certainly has some great running mates in the Windy City, it’s important to note he’s often paired with different people because coach Joel Quenneville knows he can produce regardless of whom he’s skating beside. That’s a huge help when the coach needs to get one of his other scorers going or wants more from a player who doesn’t naturally produce a ton of offence.
Kane’s abilities might delight Hawks fans more than any other group of people, but there’s no question he’s the kind of player whose success is great for the NHL in general. He generates flashy plays that can kick off a highlight pack and bring attention to hockey anywhere sports are covered. His celebrations and clear love for the game and big moments are just the icing on the cake.
And the way he’s trending, we can’t wait to see what Kane serves up next.